QUÉBEC — A retired Superior Court judge who investigated a text message scandal that helped bring down former Quebec Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez has reached few firm conclusions.

Jacques R. Fournier says it’s impossible to say whether the messages, purportedly about the 2025 Quebec Liberal leadership race, are real or fabricated.

The Liberals mandated Fournier to investigate shortly after Le Journal de Montréal published text messages in November suggesting some party members who had voted for Rodriguez in the leadership race could have received cash rewards.

Rodriguez resigned in December following a separate report in Le Journal de Montréal claiming that around 20 donors to his leadership campaign received envelopes containing $500 in cash to reimburse their donations during a fundraising event in April.

Fournier says in his report there is nothing to suggest Rodriguez was aware of alleged fundraising irregularities.

However, Fournier says “it appears” the April fundraising event violated Quebec’s Election Act, adding that he wouldn’t comment further as the case is under a criminal investigation.

Quebec’s anti-corruption police announced in December a criminal investigation of the party without giving details.

Rodriguez, who had stepped down after six months as leader, welcomed Fournier’s report.

“His report clearly demonstrates that my team and I never took part in or witnessed any misconduct during the leadership race,” Rodriguez wrote in an X post.

The Liberals are holding another leadership race, with Charles Milliard as the only official candidate ahead of Friday’s application deadline.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press